Manchester United target frustrated at Bayern Munich after losing place under Thomas Tuchel - Reports
Manchester United's interest in Matthijs de Ligt could be boosted by reports claiming the Dutch defender is becoming frustrated with his lack of game time.
According to BILD, De Ligt is losing patience with his lack of minutes under Thomas Tuchel at the Allianz Arena. He was left out of the Bavarians' 4-3 win against United in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (September 20).
Tuchel opted for Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae instead of the 24-year-old in the center of defense. It's claimed that the Netherlands international left the stadium in a bad mood following the win against Manchester United without saying anything.
This could reignite the Red Devils' interest in De Ligt who has long been on their radar. The Premier League giants made an attempt to sign the Dutch defender back in 2019 but he opted to join Juventus from Ajax.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was in charge of the Eredivisie giants when De Ligt left and he could spearhead a fresh pursuit for the Dutchman. The Bayern defender's development came under the Red Devils boss at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
However, Tuchel has downplayed De Ligt's lack of game time and urged him to be prepared to be called upon. He said (via the aforementioned source):
"Matthijs 100% deserves to play. He’s in good shape. Of course, his playing time so far is not enough for him personally, but he’s a team player. Everyone must be ready at all times. Matthijs is doing that, so everything is good."
De Ligt has made five appearances across competitions this season, helping Bayern keep one clean sheet. He was a prominent member of the Bavarians side last season, helping his side keep 17 clean sheets in 43 games across competitions. He also chipped in with four-goal contributions.
Manchester United's potential move for De Ligt could rest on Harry Maguire's future
Ten Hag was eager to strengthen his defense this past summer and had reportedly been interested in Kim. However, Manchester United missed out on the South Korean to Bayern.
The Red Devils' summer transfer window was plagued by Financial Fair Play restrictions. They were looking to offload Harry Maguire to allow them to fund a move for a new defender but the English defender chose to stay at Old Trafford.
Manchester United agreed a £30 million deal with West Ham United for Maguire to head to the London Stadium. But the 30-year-old turned the move down despite his lack of opportunities under Ten Hag, per ESPN.
Maguire has struggled to break back into the Ten Hag's first team this season, making just one appearance from the bench. He is behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order.
Thus, the England international may be considering his future at Old Trafford. This could help the Red Devils if they do want to make a move for De Ligt if his frustrations lead to his own desire to leave his club.